Monocots vs Dicots Explained
Do you remember learning the difference between monocots and dicots in school? Do you even remember why that’s important? First, understand that monocots and dicots actually represent the two main branches of flowering plants. That means that almost all flowering plants can be divided into one of these two groups. Of course, the key word is almost. There are some that don’t fit into either group all that well. Start by watching our video short on the differences between the two groups.
The five main characters I like to use are Leaves, Roots, Stems, Cotyledons, and Flowers.
Flowers
Monocots tend to have flower parts in multiples of 3.
Dicots tend to have flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5.
Leaves
Monocots tend to have parallel veination.
Dicots tend to have net veination.
Roots
Monocots usually have adventitious roots.
Dicots usually have tap roots.
Stems
The vascular bundles of monocots are usually spread throughout the cross-section of the stem.
Those in dicots are usually spread to the outside.
Cotyledons
In theory, this is the best way to tell the difference between monocots and dicots. Monocotyledons, have one cotyledon and dicotyledons have two. However, unless you’re a botanist, it’s going to be somewhat difficult to look at a seed to determine the number of these.
More Great Resources to Read about Monocots vs Dicots
Monocots vs Dicots: A quick overview from Berkley.
Related Topics
Do you remember learning the difference between monocots and dicots in school? Do you even remember why that’s important? First, understand that monocots and dicots actually represent the two main branches of flowering plants. That means that almost all flowering plants can be divided into one of these two groups. Of course, the key word is almost. There are some that don’t fit into either group all that well. Start by watching our video short on the differences between the two groups.
The five main characters I like to use are Leaves, Roots, Stems, Cotyledons, and Flowers.
Flowers
Monocots tend to have flower parts in multiples of 3.
Dicots tend to have flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5.
Leaves
Monocots tend to have parallel veination.
Dicots tend to have net veination.
Roots
Monocots usually have adventitious roots.
Dicots usually have tap roots.
Stems
The vascular bundles of monocots are usually spread throughout the cross-section of the stem.
Those in dicots are usually spread to the outside.
Cotyledons
In theory, this is the best way to tell the difference between monocots and dicots. Monocotyledons, have one cotyledon and dicotyledons have two. However, unless you’re a botanist, it’s going to be somewhat difficult to look at a seed to determine the number of these.
More Great Resources to Read about Monocots vs Dicots
Monocots vs Dicots: A quick overview from Berkley.
